New York City’s nurses strike could go on for weeks. Nurses are seeking better pay and protection from violence on the job, among other things. The hospital systems say the price is too high.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Thousands of New York City nurses are on strike this week at three major hospital systems. Their union says it is the largest nurses’ strike in city history. They’re fighting for better pay, more robust staffing and tighter hospital security, among other demands. WNYC’s Caroline Lewis has been following the developments in New York and joins us now. Hi.
CAROLINE LEWIS, BYLINE: Hi.
SUMMERS: Caroline, it’s been five days. What’s the mood like there?
LEWIS: Well, the mood on the picket lines can be really jubilant – lots of cheering and chanting – and local politicians have come out to show their support, including new mayor Zohran Mamdani. But I think a lot of nurses are also disheartened that it’s come to this. At some hospitals, this is the second strike by the New York State Nurses Association in three years, and people are frustrated that their employers don’t seem to be willing to budge on a lot of their demands. This is nurse Molly McCann on the picket line outside New York Presbyterian.
MOLLY MCCANN: All management wants to talk about is money. They’re not even addressing safe staffing, workplace violence, AI taking over – none of the nonmonetary stuff. And the monetary proposals they are giving are just insulting.
LEWIS: But hospital management obviously has a very different perspective.
SUMMERS: Right, and what are hospitals saying?
LEWIS: Well, for one thing, hospitals are saying they’re already working to expand the use of weapon detection systems and panic alert buttons for security. And they argue that you really can’t ignore how much nurses’ proposals will cost. Nurses at these private hospitals did get significant pay boosts three years ago, and the hospitals are painting the salary and benefit packages they’re currently asking for as unreasonable. You know, they say they would increase hospital costs by billions of dollars in the coming years at a time when they’re also expecting to lose funding because of federal health care cuts. And just in general, tensions between the parties are really high right now.
SUMMERS: And of course, people wonder, what does this mean for patients at hospital where these nurses are striking?
LEWIS: Well, nearly 15,000 nurses are on strike, and there is research showing that these kinds of work stoppages can put patients at risk. Hospitals have brought in temporary replacements from staffing agencies, and the governor even declared a disaster emergency that allows out-of-state nurses and doctors to practice in the areas where the strike is taking place. City officials also say they’re trying to coordinate with other hospitals that are not part of the strike to make sure there’s capacity.
But nurses I’ve spoken to say – you know, who are striking – say they’re still worried that, you know, the traveling nurses who were brought in may not have sufficient training to safely take over patient care, especially in intensive care units. Hospitals, on the other hand, have issued statements saying they’re continuing to offer safe, high-quality patient care during the strike.
SUMMERS: As we mentioned, it’s been five days. How long can the nurses and hospitals, frankly, hold out?
LEWIS: Well, at least one hospital representative said they were prepared for the strike to last weeks. Hospital reps have said, you know, that they are prepared for a long haul. They’ve shelled out a lot of money hiring temp nurses to keep their operations afloat. Nurses I’ve spoken to also said they are preparing to hold out until they get what they’re asking for. But of course, that may be harder for some than others. One hospital said in the early days of the strike, about 20% of unionized nurses were already crossing the picket line to come in. There is a glimmer of hope, though. Hospitals and nurses returned to the bargaining table yesterday and today after a pause in negotiations, and so we may start to see progress at some point.
SUMMERS: Caroline Lewis with WNYC. Thanks.
LEWIS: Thanks.
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